After a beautiful Friday, Saturday started with mucky weather in Calgary. Rain, snow and maybe some sleet! So, it was a perfect day to get out into the Kootenays! It was warmer and thankfully no rain or snow...
We conducted three short hikes. First to Marble Canyon, second to Paint Pots and third was Fireweed Trail along the continental divide between Alberta and BC. All these places are not just gorgeous, but their history and geography really blows one's mind!
Almost 12% of the Kootenays was burned in a terrible fire in 2003- caused naturally from several lightening strikes. It was great to see nature at work- where new growth was growing from the ashes of the old!
Feels like I left a piece of my heart back in our parks. Can't wait to go back...
Now a little info. from wikipedia & Parks Canada site:
Marble Canyon: The canyon stems from a collapsed karst formation. The name comes from the brilliant limestone of its walls. The bedrock is microcrystalline limestone (sedimentary rock) rather than marble (metamorphic rock).
Paint Pots: The Paint Pots and the associated ochre beds form an area of unusual physical and chemical activity and have a history of use by both Aboriginal groups and Europeans. The yellow ochre was cleaned, kneaded with water into walnut sized balls, then flattened into cakes and baked. The red powder was mixed with fish oil or animal grease to paint their bodies, tipis, clothing or pictures on the rocks. These paintings depicted many objects from day to day life as well as more abstract drawings that may have originated in dreams or represented supernatural beings.
The Paint Pots site is still considered a sacred site by First Nations today.The three 'pots' are formed by the accumulation of iron oxide around the outlets of 3 cold mineral springs. Native tribes used the ochre for paint. White settlers mined the ochre beds until the late 20's.
Fireweed Trail & The Continental Divide: Stand in two provinces at once. This is the continental spine of western North America. At this location, it separates two watersheds, two provinces, and two national parks.
Note: untouched photos as always...
We conducted three short hikes. First to Marble Canyon, second to Paint Pots and third was Fireweed Trail along the continental divide between Alberta and BC. All these places are not just gorgeous, but their history and geography really blows one's mind!
Almost 12% of the Kootenays was burned in a terrible fire in 2003- caused naturally from several lightening strikes. It was great to see nature at work- where new growth was growing from the ashes of the old!
Feels like I left a piece of my heart back in our parks. Can't wait to go back...
Now a little info. from wikipedia & Parks Canada site:
Marble Canyon: The canyon stems from a collapsed karst formation. The name comes from the brilliant limestone of its walls. The bedrock is microcrystalline limestone (sedimentary rock) rather than marble (metamorphic rock).
Paint Pots: The Paint Pots and the associated ochre beds form an area of unusual physical and chemical activity and have a history of use by both Aboriginal groups and Europeans. The yellow ochre was cleaned, kneaded with water into walnut sized balls, then flattened into cakes and baked. The red powder was mixed with fish oil or animal grease to paint their bodies, tipis, clothing or pictures on the rocks. These paintings depicted many objects from day to day life as well as more abstract drawings that may have originated in dreams or represented supernatural beings.
The Paint Pots site is still considered a sacred site by First Nations today.The three 'pots' are formed by the accumulation of iron oxide around the outlets of 3 cold mineral springs. Native tribes used the ochre for paint. White settlers mined the ochre beds until the late 20's.
Fireweed Trail & The Continental Divide: Stand in two provinces at once. This is the continental spine of western North America. At this location, it separates two watersheds, two provinces, and two national parks.
Note: untouched photos as always...
